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64 lines
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Plaintext
64 lines
2.8 KiB
Plaintext
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MALCOLM X: THE LEGACY CONTINUES
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Feb. 21 marks the anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X,
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one of the greatest African American leaders in history. Despite
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his untimely death in 1965, Malcolm's legacy of Black pride,
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resistance and liberation remains as strong as ever, particularly
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among African American and other oppressed youths.
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In this period when the ruling class has unleashed a vicious
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anti-worker, racist offensive against poor and working people,
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the revolutionary message of Malcolm X must never be forgotten.
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On the contrary, his words and deeds must continue to be blazed
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upon the banners of the workers and oppressed not only in the
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U.S. but all over the world.
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Following is a selection of quotations from Malcolm X:
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- "There is no kind of action in this country ever going to bear
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fruit unless that action is tied in with the overall
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international struggle." ("Separation or Integration" speech,
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March 7, 1962)
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- "We live in one of the rottenest countries that has ever
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existed on this earth. It's a system of exploitation, of outright
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humiliation and degradation." (June 28, 1964, speech at Audubon
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Ballroom, New York, Organization of Afro-American Unity founding
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rally)
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- "Never at any time in the history of our people in this country
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have we made advances or progress in any way based upon the
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internal goodwill of this country. We have made advancement in
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this country only when this country was under pressure from
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forces above and beyond its control." (Dec. 31, 1964, speech at
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Hotel Teresa, NYC)
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- "Capitalism used to be like an eagle, but now it's more like a
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vulture. It used to be strong enough to go and suck anybody's
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blood whether they were strong or not. But now it has become more
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cowardly, like the vulture, and it can only suck the blood of the
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helpless." (Jan. 19, 1965, interview with Young Socialist paper)
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- "If George Washington didn't get independence for this country
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nonviolently, and if Patrick Henry didn't come up with a
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nonviolent statement, and you taught me to look upon them as
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patriots and heroes, then it's time for you to realize that I
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have studied your books well." (April 8, 1964, speech on "Black
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Revolution")
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- "I've never advocated any violence. I've only said that Black
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people who are the victims of organized violence perpetrated upon
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us by the Klan, the Citizen's Council, and many other forms, we
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should defend ourselves. ... I think the Black man in this
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country above and beyond people all over the world will be more
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than justified when he stands up and starts to protect himself no
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matter how many necks he has to break." (Feb. 14, 1965, in
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Detroit one week before his assassination)
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-30-
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(Copyright Workers World Service: Permission to reprint granted
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if source is cited. For more information contact Workers World,
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55 West 17 St., New York, NY 10011; via e-mail: ww@blythe.org.)
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